Janice R. Andrews
A lawsuit filed by researcher Ethan Zuckerman, who sought to develop a browser extension to help Facebook users “unfollow everything” on their News Feed, has been dismissed by a federal court. Zuckerman, affiliated with the Knight First Amendment Institute at Columbia University, intended to create a tool called “Unfollow Everything 2.0” and argued that Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act (1996) should protect third-party tools that allow users to block unwanted content.
Section 230 is known for shielding tech platforms from liability for user-generated content, but it also contains a provision that safeguards developers of tools that help users block objectionable material. Zuckerman believed this provision could protect his tool from interference by Meta, the parent company of Facebook.
The idea for “Unfollow Everything 2.0” evolved from a 2021 project that allowed users to remove the Facebook News Feed entirely or customize it to show posts from select people. However, that project faced a legal challenge when Facebook sued the UK developer and disabled his account, which prompted Zuckerman to seek a legal route for his version of the tool.
Despite Zuckerman’s arguments, the court ruled in favor of Meta, dismissing the lawsuit but allowing the possibility of future legal action. Zuckerman’s lawyer expressed frustration with the ruling, noting that the court might reconsider the case if the tool is developed. “We still believe Section 230 should protect tools that empower users,” said the lawyer.
Meta, which has previously suspended researchers studying political ad targeting, called the lawsuit “baseless.” The company’s stance on third-party tools contrasts with its controversial use of academic papers to train its AI, a project that was shut down due to spreading misinformation.
